A little over two weeks ago we reported on the changes being planned for Excelsior High.
The High school will be closed down and the facility will be converted to a remedial and vo-tech school for children show did not finish primary school.
The forces the 137 students who currently attend Excelsior to find a new school. And while addressing the primary school leavers is a priority, is the ministry of education robbing Peter to pay Paul - that is are they reaching out to the disenfranchised youths and in so doing, creating more?
That's what was discussed at a meeting at the school this afternoon; Monica Bodden was there:....
Monica Bodden Reporting
Today the parents of the 137 students of Excelsior high school gathered for a meeting with members of the Ministry of Education. Reason being, the new school curriculum.
David Leacock, CEO - Ministry of Education
"In the first instance we are looking at the 5 core areas; English, math, science, social science and Spanish. We may also include IT in that as well because that's almost a standard now. Those are the areas we are looking at. As I said however, besides these areas we are looking at other skills which may not be deliver by Excelsior as a school, but be deliver outside of Excelsior but maybe even in Excelsior that students may have options to pursue."
Carol Babb
"Let us be honest. How many of you have students who have graduated from Excelsior? How many of those students have been able to find a job? We are trying to make the education more relevant. Some of these students, some of them with this relevant education we are going to give them choices. They can either decide to move on and finish a regular high school or they can choose a vocation whether they want to become a plumber, a mason or an electrician. They will have choices."
David Leacock, CEO - Ministry of Education
"We sort to find a resolution that would address the situation we have in our communities where a lot of young people are not positively engage while at the same time taking onboard the concerns of the parents and teachers here at Excelsior. I want however to be clear that we are talking about strengthening and streamlining the curriculum here at Excelsior which in addition we are saying those 5 core areas. We also need to look at the kind of remedial support that we need to have for these young people here, remedial in terms of the academic sense but also support in terms of the psyco-social, the social and emotional support, that's where we talk about life skills development, we have to make sure that the students here get a healthy dose of life skills to ensure their success in the long run. So it's not going to be the same exact curriculum that we have right now, it's going to be streamline and strengthen."
And while the Ministry of Education is impressed with this new remedial facility aimed at teaching students life skills among others - these parents where not sharing the same sentiments with these new changes.
Concerned Parent
"Why do you say this now, instead of 3 weeks ago? Why? We could have made up our minds what we are going to do with our kids. But at this situation now it's like peel banana's."
Lorna Wade
"My concern is why don't they improve on Excelsior? Why they decide to make Excelsior have a choice? When your child already feels comfortable in a school, why do he have to have a choice to either move or why don't they give them the quality education that they could just stay here and continue on their studies?"
The New School Year starts on August 30th.
